Railway truck



Dec. 23, 1941.

C. L. EKSERGIAN RAILWAY TRUCK Filed March 1, 1940 s Sheets-Shed 1 INVENTORQYZ arozuafiifi'fisfergian v lllg/ V ATTORNEY h Dec. 23, 1941. c, EKSERGIAN 2,267,589

RAILWAY TRUCK Filed March 1, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR flar oZzwllfl'iisergz'am ATTORNEY Dec. 23, 1941.

c. IT. EKSERGIAN RAILWAY TRUCK Filed March 1, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I NVENTOR Chroma lLEZZs'ergz'aw J ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 23, 1941 RAILWAY TRUCK Carolus L. Eksergian, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Company, Philadelphia, Pa a-corporation of Pennsyl- "ma Application March 1, 1940, Serial No. 321,686

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to wheel trucks.

More specifically it relates to trucks made of sheet metal elements secured to one another, and combining the features of ample strength and rigidity with relatively light weight.

An object of the invention is to provide a truck of this kind wherein the two side frames are connected to one another solely by a single, centrally located, transversemember, which is mounted pivotally with respect to at least one of said side frames, so that the side frames may in part will be pointed out particularly in the,

present specification, which discloses a preferred form thereof, and in part will be self-evident.

In the diagrammatic drawings accompanying this specification and forming a part thereof:

Fig, 1 is a perspective view of the entire wheel truck, as seen in a somewhat diagonal direction and from above:

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view,'on an enlarged scale, and partly in-horizontal section on about the plane defined by the wheel axles;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the truck, with a portion broken away to show a section of one journal box;

Fig. 4 is a sectional end elevation of the truck. the section being made on the planes indicated by the broken line 44 of Fig. 2, a fragmentary portion of the bolster being shown in elevation;

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view, as seen from above, of one of the side frames, the bolster being omitted and a portion of the transverse tubular member being cut off; and

Fig. 6 is a similar detail perspective view, but as seen from below; partly in section and showing a fragment of the bolster and associated parts.

In all the figures, similar elements are designated by the same reference characters.

The truck comprises the side frames I and 2, joined together near their centers by the cross member 3. Near each end is an axle 4, carrying the wheels 5. The ends 6 of each axle may be of reduced diameter and these ends may con stitute the journals which are mounted as best shown in Figs, 2 and 3, and as will'now be described.

Secured to each ,of the side frames, l and 2,

are the journal boxes I, consisting of a metal bracket shaped approximately as the zone of a sphere having flanges 8, each perforated to reyieldable resilient material, such as rubber or; some similar substance, and within said yield ceive the bolts or other fastening devices H), which pass through the bottom of the side frame and through a companion plate 9, to secure the bracket rigidly in place.

Within each bracket is a bushing ll made of able bushing or cushion is the metal bearing l2 ca rying the respective journal 8. By reason of the shape and nature of the bracket and the parts contained therein, the bearing [2 may adjust itself to conditions arising when the axle and the side frame tilt, without binding, since the said bearing I2 is substantially universally mounted, within a range of movement which is ample to provide for any conditions of tilt likely to be encountered in actual service.

In order to permit the side frames l and 2 to adjust themselves to inequalities of the rails, the cross member 3 is pivotally mounted in each side frame, in the embodiment disclosed, and such pivotal mounting will be best understood fromFigs. 2 and 4.

Each side frame carries a relatively long tubular sleeve it which extends through both the outer plate l4 and the inner plate I5 of each side frame and projects inwardly a substantial distance beyond said inner plate, and is secured to both plates, as by the welds I6. To provide interconnecting the side frames and the inwardly projecting portions of the sleeves extending fore and aft of the sleeves.

The transverse member 3 has flanges 18 extending from its outer surface, at suitable positions to abut against the inner ends of the sleeves l3 when the outer ends of the member 3 are alined with the outer ends of the sleeves l3. Relatively short rings l8 made of any suitable bearing material, may be interposed between the member 3 and the sleeves l3, to permit the member 3 to turn in said sleeves.

The transverse member 3 is held against moving inwardly by the end plates 20 which are secured thereto by bolts 2| passing through a crosspiece or spider 22 integral with the tube 3, said bolts passing also through the end plates 20, and retained by the nuts 23, the said nuts being then protected and concealed by the plates 24.

The side frames are built up of sheet metal components, namely an inside plate l5, and an outside plate M, with upper flange 25 and lower flange 26. The plate l4 has an out-turned peripheral flange 21 extending all around it, and this flange 21 is rigidly secured to the edges of the upper flange 25 and lower flange 26, preferably by spot welding or the like. The inner plate likewise has a flange 28 extending therearound, similarly secured to the upper flange 25 and the lower flange 26, thus forming each side frame as a box of substantially rectangular cross section with flanged corners.

In order to provide a support for the bolster, an open top box or housing I! is secured to the inner plate of each side frame, as shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6. It will be noted that each housing H has its top formed on a slant so as to clear the bolster. The bottom 29 of each box may have holes 30 formed therein, each having a flanged edge 3| extending upwardly therefrom. The cylindrical flanges thus produced are of proper size to fit within the helical springs '32, so as to retain them in proper position.

The vertical sides 33 of each box are formed from a single piece of sheet metal, bent :into shape and flanged outwardly at its edges to strengthen it and also to afford a suitable projection for welding the same to the bottom 29 and to the side frame. A portion of the edge flange also passes over the sleeve I3, as shown 1 at 34. This portion may be welded to the sleeve to make a rigid bracing structure, and may carry the upwardly extending lug 36 having the holes 31 therein. A reinforcing plate 38 may be interposed, welded flat against the plate l5 of each side frame, to strengthen and brace the truck at these places, the sleeve I3 also being welded thereto, as shown best in Fig. 2.

The bolster 39 which extends across the truck with its ends within the housings I! may be bifurcated at its central portion, so as tov straddle the transverse tube 3. Two spaced squared or flattened portions 40 may be formed in tube 3, to serve as guides for the bolster in its up-anddown and lateral movements, the bolster having cooperating guide tracks 4| thereon for this purpose.

The bolster may be built up of sheet metal 7 plates suitably welded'or otherwise secured together, and as disclosed comprises two parallel box frames 42 bridged by the top plate 43 which in turn supports the center plate 44. Each [box frame 42 is entirely closed, and has inclined end portions as shown at 45 open at the bottom.

At the end the bolster carries a bracket 46 which extends across said two box frames and consists essentially of a rectangular central portion 41 with triangular flanges 48 at its ends. Preferably each bracket 46 also has a bottom flange 49 in contact with the ends of the bolster, all these parts being secured together rigidly, as by welding. Centrally within each bracket there may be a portion forming a closed rectangular box 50, which supports the roll 5| by means of lugs 52 and a suitable'shaft 53.

Suitable resilient means such as the helical springs 54 are mounted within the end portions of the brackets 46 as shown, to provide resilient resistance to side sway of the bolster. The brackets 46 also provide bearings 55 for pivotally receiving the ends of two .torsion rods 56, which extend across the bolster. Each torsion rod has secured thereto, adjacent its bearing, a lever arm 51, which may have an enlarged lug 58 at its end for securing it to such torsion rod, while at the other end it is perforated to receive the pin 60, which connects it pivotally to a link 6|.

Each link 6| is bifurcated at bothends, as I shown best in Fig. 4, the upper end being engaged by the said pin 60 and the lower end being pivotally attached to the upstanding lug 36 on the sleeve l3, by means of a similar pin 63. It will thus be seenthat each end of the bolster is connected to the corresponding sleeve |3 by the two links 6| at said end, and thus when the bolster moves vertically the torsion rods 56 will merely be rotated freely in their bearings 55.

However, should one end of the bolster tilt and thus move further than the other, the torsion rods 56 will thereby be stressed in torsion and will resist such tilting of the bolster and .tend to restore it to its normal position, parallel to the axles. Thus, while the bolster can move up occur with relatively short rods when of suf-' flcient torsional strength.

The operation of the invention has already been disclosed above. but may be summarized briefly as follows: i v 7 When a railway car equipped with trucks of the type herein disclosed passes over a track, the springs 32 will normally be compressed, to correspond to the weight of the vehicle, carried by the center plate 44 and the rolls 5| mounted on the bolster. v

When the vehicle passes over unevennesses of the rails, the springs 32 will take up the shocks in the customary way. The springs 54 will limit the side sway of the bolster resiliently. Side sway of the vehicle will cause one roll 5| to be loaded more heavily than the other, tending to cause one end of the bolster to sink while the other end rises correspondingly, and the same effect will be produced when the car traverses a curve, or any portion of the track where one rail is at a higher level than the other. This will result in causing the bolster to tilt out of parallelism with the axles, and therefore the torsion rods 56 will be subjected to a twisting action between their ends, resulting in the production of a torsional restoring moment tending to bring the bolster back to its proper position, carrying the. vehicle along. As a result, the swaying of the vehicle will be minimized.

Due to the relatively great length of each sleeve l3, and the way said sleeve is secured rigidly to the respective side frame and bracket, a long bearing is afforded for each end of the cross member 3, which has ample strength and rigidity to hold the side frames parallel. Because of the flexible connection of the side frames to the cross member and to the axles, it will be seen that the truck fram can adapt itself freely to irregularity of the track rails.

While a preferred form of the invention has been disclosed diagrammatically herein, it will be understood that many changes may be made in the specific structures involved, without de-' parting from the scope of the invention, which 18 defined solely in the following claims.

I claim:

frames, wheels-and-axles mounted therein, a single cross member connecting said side frames, near their mid-points, and comprising a shaft pivotally supported by each side frame, a bolster sprung from the side frames and extending arcoss the truck and straddling said shaft, coacting means on said cross member and said bolster guiding said bolster on said cross member in a plane which includes the axis of the cross member and extends substantially vertical to ground level, said bolster and said side frames being free from means for guiding the said bolster in said plane, said guiding means being adapted for the transmission of stresses in the direction of travel from the bolster to the cross member and vice versa.

2. A wheel truck comprising a pair of side frames, wheels-and-axles mounted therein, a single cross member connecting said side frames, near their mid-points, and comprising a shaft pivotally supporting by each side frame through elongated bearing sleeves extending inwardly a substantial distance beyond said side frames, rigid spring seating structures interconnecting said extended portions of the bearing sleeves andthe adjacent side frames, a bolster built up of two hollow box members, spaced apart to straddle the shaft, and connected rigidly to one another at their upper portions, and springs interposed between the ends of said bolster and said spring seating structures on opposite sides of said cross member.

3. A wheel truck comprising a pair of side frames, wheels-and-axles mounted therein, a single cross member connecting said side frames, near their mid-points, and comprising a shaft pivotally supported by each side frame, and a bolster mounted in the truck, .sprung from the side frames and having a bottom-opening recess therein, said shaft being housed in the recess. and having means for guiding the bolster in its vertical movements with respect to the shaft but preventing relative longitudinal movement between the bolster and shaft.

4. A wheel truck comprising a pair of hollow side frames, built up of sheet metal, journal boxes secured to said side frames, wheels-andaxles mounted therein, a single cross member extending between said frames, said cross member having vertical guide surfaces thereon, and a bolster sprung from the side frames and having a recess in its under portion to receive the said cross member and having vertical movement with respect thereto, said bolster having cooperating guide surfaces slidable on the guide surfaces of the cross member, to permit vertical movement of the bolster but prevent relative longitudinal movement between said bolster and cross member.

5. A wheel truck comprising a pair of side frames, wheels-and-axles mounted therein, a single cross member connecting said side frames, near their mid-points, and comprising a shaft pivotally supported by an elongated bearing sleeve extending inwardly a substantial distance from each side frame, a downwardly-opening channeled bolster extending across the truck and straddling said shaft, bracing structures extending between the extended portion of each bearing sleeve and the adjacent, side frame and springs carried by the said bracing structures, and supporting the ends of the bolster.

frames, wheels-and-axles mounted therein, 'a single cross member connecting said side frames, and comprising a shaft pivotally supported by each side frame, a bolster builtup of two hollow box members, spaced apart to straddle the shaft, and connected rigidly to one another at their upper portions, springs carried by the side frames, and supporting the bolster, a torsion element mounted on the bolster and extending-along the same, and link means connecting the ends of the torsion element to the adjacent frames, to cause the said element to twist whenever the bolster tilts with respect to the said cross member.

7. A wheel truck comprising a pair of side frames, wheels-and-axles mounted therein, a single cross member connecting said side frames, and comprising a shaft pivotally supported by each side frame, a bolster built up of two hollow box members, spaced apart to straddle the shaft, and connected rigidly to one another at their upper portions, springs carried bythe side frames and supporting the bolster, two torsion rods pivotally mounted on the bolster, one extending along each of the said box members, an arm securedfto each end of each torsion rod, and a link pivoted to the end of each arm and to the adjacent frame, to cause the torsion rods to become twisted, whenever the bolster tilts with respect to the cross member, while remaining unstressed when the bolster moves so as to remain parallel to the cross member.

8. A wheel truck comprising a pair of side frames, wheels-and-axles mounted therein, a single cross member connecting said side frames, and comprising a shaft supported by each side frame, a bolster built up of two hollow box members, spaced apart to straddle the shaft, and connected rigidly to one another at their upper portions, springs carried by the side frames, and supporting the bolster, two torsion elements mounted on the bolster, one on each of the said box members, and means connecting the ends of each torsion element to the adjacent frames, to cause the torsion elements to become twisted, whenever the bolster tilts with respect to the cross member.

9. -A wheel truck comprising a pair of side frames, wheels-and-axles mounted therein, a single cross member connecting said side frames, and comprising a shaft supported by each side frame, a bolster built up of two hollow box members, spaced apart to straddle the shaft, and connected rigidly to one another at their upper portions, springs carried by the side frames, and supporting the bolster, two torsion elements mounted on the bolster, one on each of the said box members, an arm secured to each end of each torsion element, and a link pivoted to the arm and to the adjacent frame, to cause the torsion elements to become twisted, whenever the bolster tilts with respect to the cross member.

10. A wheel truck comprising a pair of hollow rectilinear side frames, each built up of sheet metal, two tubular sleeves each of greater length than the width of the side frame, each sleeve extending transversely entirely through the corresponding side frame, secured to the opposite side walls of said side frame and projecting inwardly from the inner face thereof a substantial distance, a bracing structure bracing the inwardly projecting portion of said sleeve to the adjacent side frame, and a single cross member pivotally supported in at least one of said sleeves and extending entirely across the truck, to ,sup-

6 A wheel truck comprising a pair of side port said side frames, said bracing structures serving as spring seats to receive bolster supporting springs. Y

11. A wheel truck comprising a pair of hollow rectilinear side frames each having spaced-apart vertical walls made of sheet metal, a tubular metal sleeve for each side frame, said sleeve being 01' materially. greater length than the spacing of said walls, said sleeve extending through both walls and projecting inwardly beyond the inner wall a substantial distance, and being'sei0 cured to both said walls, a bracing structure bracing the inwardly projecting portions of each sleeve to the adjacent side frame and extending fore and aft of said sleeve, and a cross member connecting the side frames, mounted pivotally in at least one of said sleeves, said bracing structures serving as spring seats fore and aft of the cross member to receive bolster supporting springs.

CAROLUS L. EKSERGIAN. 

